End clasp for bracelets and the like



Feb. 28, 1939. LEVESQUE 2,148,629

END CLASP FOR BRACELETS AND THE LIKE Fil ed March 11, 1938 :the ends .ofcord Patented Feb. 28, 1939 v The present inventi Arthur H. Levesisignor :to ."R. a

que, North Attleboro, Mass, as- F. Simmons 00m pany, Attleboro,

-Mass., a partnership composed :of Harold E. Sweet and Hayward H. SweetApplication March 11,

' '5 Claims.

on relates 'to improvements in .end clasps or fastening devices forattaching :the -like.

".One object zvide an end a construction and arr b-which "facilitatesthe bracelet or card ends s, *straps, bands, bracelets and of thepresent 'invention'is to proclasp of 'the {type indicated havingangement of the parts .thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp ofthetypejindicated having agripper element movable away ,Irom .thebody-member to facilitate the insertion of the bracelet end androckableinto binding engagement therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp of theit crating'lever toward and away adapted totbe rocked engagement with the ype'indicat and a ed'having arockable opgripper slidable on the lever fromthe body-member and with the lever into gripping bracelet end.

Still 'anothergob-jectiofthe invention is to pro- "vide .a clasp lsimpleand c manufacture "mentali use.

of 'the type indicated which is of ompact :construction, economical toand assemble,-and neat-and ornan appearance to adapt itforits intended I"."Eurther objects of the "improvement are set "forth in the scribes apre followin ferred f0 g specification "which derm of construction ofthe device, "by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanyinshowing {the g drawing. In the drawing:

op planview of a cord bracelet present invention embodied in a pair ofclasps attached to the ends of the cords and joined "by asuitablebuckle;

-Figx2-is an enlarged bottom plan view of one of the end olasthe-operating and latched'i Fig. 3 is a improved clasp showin ment "withthe ends :of

' 4 is a operating lever rock spect to the outwardly on the lever amember;

Fig. 5 is a manner in which the toward the body-memb bracelet-cordstherein;

'Figbefi is a transverse ps shown in Fig. '1 illustrating leveroverlying the body-member n closed position thereon;

longitudinal sectional view of the g it in gripping engagethebracelet-cord;

milar to Fig. 3 showing the ed to open position with remember and thegripper slid Way from the bodyview si bodyview similar to Fi operatinglever is rocked er to gripthe ends of the sectional view on line 6-6 .ofFig. 3 showing the teeth on the gripper in binding enga .let-cord; 1

gement with the ends :of the braceoperation of attaching the g. '4showing the 1938, "Serial N0. 195,299

Fig.7 'is a perspective View of the end clasp shown with the parts in''trated in Fig. 4 to 'facilita ends of the bracelet-co thebody-mem'ber;and

Fig. 8'is a perspective view the relationship illuste the insertion ofthe rd, also illustrated, into of the parts of the end clasp indisassembled relationship with the gripper shown as only partly A usualtype of end clasp formed. comprises a body- .member or housing having anopen end for re- :ceiving the ends of a. cord-bracelet or the like and alever .pivotall its open end. angular .grippin to engage and ileverisrocked toward the prior artclasps'the'bracel inserted into "the bodytively narrow opening and "the top wall of 'th being apt to fray atconsiderable care and sert the bracelet-cord into th eration ofattaching the bra sider-able time.

The lever is e body their ends. patience is required to iny mountedthereon adjacent provided with an g jaw adjacentthe pivot adapted holdthe bracelet end when the body-member. In such et-end cannot be readily-'member due to the relabetween the gripping jaw -member, the cords As aresult,

e clasp and the opcelet consumes con- Fig. 1 of the'present drawingillustrates a cord bracelet of usual construction comprising a pair oflooped cords 2 and 3 having their ends gripped 'in fasteners or endclasps 4 forming the subjectnventi the looped matter of the present i 4at the ends of directly connected to the oppo 5 of usual construction.

ends of the cords '2 and 3 or connectors 'l'ada of a wrist watch or tosim the like not herein shown. construction are also provid looped cords2 and 3 to h parallel relationship.

As most clearl drawing each cla member l2, an operating [4. As shown inperspec member or housing I2 contour corresponding t bracelet 2 or tive3 and side wa on. The end clasps o cords 2 and 3 are site ends of abuckle At the outer looped are terminal members pted to be attached tothe bails ilar parts of jewelry or Metal loops 8 of usual ed forencircling the d them together in y illustrated in Fig. 7 of the sp 4comprises a box-like body lever l3 and a gripper in Fig. 8, the body-.has a top wall l5 of a 0 that of the end of the lls l6 and I1 with oneend and the bottom open, it being under- "stood that Figs. 2 to '8illustrate the clasp in inverted position, or bottom side up. In someinstances the body-member for adapting it to recei The side walls 16 andproject beyond the top wall and are connected at their 0 may take otherforms flat strap or band.

I1 of the body-member I2 l5 at its closed end uter extremities by r l8.Between the projecting ends I1 is a tab or strip l9 plained, the end ofthe tab I9 being slotted as indicated by the reference character 20.Although the side walls It and I! may take other forms they are hereinillustrated as inclined downwardly toward the open end of the bodymemberl2 and adjacent this end they are procontinuous guiding surface.

vided with alined bearing apertures 2|.

The operating lever I3 comprises a pair of spaced side rails 25 joinedby a connecting web 26 adjacent one of their ends. Pintles 21 projectlaterally from the opposite ends of the rails 25 into the alined bearingapertures 2| in the body-member l2 to pivotally mount the lever 13 forrocking movement thereon. Flanges or guides 28, formed by relativelynarrow continuations of the web 26, project inwardly from the oppositeside rails 25, being of the same thickness as the web and in alinementtherewith to provide a Although the lever i3 may be made by any suitablemethod, for example, as a stamping produced in dies, it is preferablyconstructed from an I-shaped wire strip or finding having side rails 25and a continuous web therebetween. A length of the strip equal to thelength of the lever to be formed is cut off and the web 26 is cut awayat one end to provide the inwardly-directed guides 28. The guides 28 maybe extended beyond the side rails 25 and swedged to cylindrical form andbent outwardly to form the pintles 27; or the ends of the side rails 25may be extended, shaped and bent outwardly for this purpose. Theoperating lever 13 when pivotally mounted on the side walls [6 and H ofthe body-member I2 is adapted to be rocked away therefrom to theposition illustrated in Fig. 4, or it may be rocked toward thebody-member to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. In this latterposition the operating lever l3 underlies and closes the open bottom ofthe clasp with its side rails 25 within the side walls 16 and H of thebody-member I2.

In accordance with the present invention the gripper M is constituted asa separate element slidably mounted on the operating lever I3. As

herein illustrated the gripper M is constructed from a strip ofsheet-metal bent at right-angles to form a jaw 39 with teeth 3| at itsend and slotted at its edges to provide guideways 32 adapted to interfitwith the guides 28 on the lever is. The gripper I4 is mounted on theoperating lever l3 withits guideways 32 in engagement with the guides 28thereof, being held in position by folding a portion 39 of the stripback on itself to form a loop All which embraces the connecting web 26of the lever l3. The gripper I4 is of a width equal to the distancebetween the, side rails 25 of the lever l3 and the thick ness of themetal is equal to the width of the rails at either side of the web 26 sothat when the gripper is mounted on the lever its outer faces are flushwith the edges of the side rails to provide a smooth finish. The jaw 38of the gripper I4 is guided for sliding movement on' the lever l3 by theinterfitting guides 28 and guideways 32 while the opposite end of thegripper is guided by its parallel sides embracing the sides of theconnecting web 26 of the lever.

The gripper I4 is of substantially the same length as the lever l3 andthe cut-outportion oi the web 26 adapts it to slide longitudinally tothe opposite extreme positions illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. When thegripper I4 is slid to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 its jaw 30 willbe spaced a considerable distance away from the top wall [5 of thebody-member l2; while when it is in the position illustrated in Fig. 5its jaw 30 is in substantial alinement with the pintles 21 of theleverl3. The gripper I4 is limited in its sliding movement to theextreme position illustrated in Fig. 5 by the engagement of its end loop40 with one edgeof the web 26 of the lever I3 and in its movement to theopposite position shown in Fig. 4 by the engagement of its jaw 38 withthe opposite edge of the web 26. The outer face of the gripper I ladjacent the loop 40 is provided with a slot 4| to receive a pointedtool 42 or the like, shown by dash lines in Fig. 5,

' which may be used to slide the gripper M on the operating lever 13.The dimensions of the op erating lever l3 and gripper M are such thatwhen the gripper I4 is slid to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 andthe operating lever 13 is rocked toward the body-member l2 the roundedloop 48 of the gripper will snap within the curled tab or catch IS onthe body-member to latch it in place between the side walls l6 and IT.The operating lever It may be unlatched by prying the looped end of thegripper free from engagement with the catch IS, a pointed instru mentbeing inserted in the slot in the end of the catch to facilitate thisoperation.

To attach the ends of the cords 2 or 3 to the end clasp 4 the latter isplaced in inverted position and the operating lever l3 rocked on itspintles 21 to the open position shown in Figs. 4 and '7. The gripper Mis then slid outwardly on the lever 13 to provide a relatively wideopening between the jaw 30 and the top wall [5 of the body-member I2.The ends of the braceletcord 2 or 3 may then be inserted into thebodymember l2 without difficulty. When the ends of the cord are properlypositioned in the bodymember i2 the gripper I4 is slid on the lever E3to press its jaw 30 into engagement with the ends of the cord insubstantial alinement with the pintles 21 on the operating lever. Theoperating lever I3 is then rocked from the position shown in Fig. 4 tothat shown in Fig. 3 and due to the engagement of the teeth 3| on thejaw 30 with the ends of the cords and the rocking movement of the jawinto the body-member l2 the ends of the cord are tightly gripped betweenthe teeth and the top wall l5 as illustrated in Fig. 6. As the rockingmovement of the operating lever i3 is continued the rounded loop 40 atthe end of the gripper I4 is snapped within the curved catch 59 on thebody-member l2 to latch the lever in closed position. As the operatinglever I3 is rocked toward the body-member I2 the sliding gripper [4tends to move outwardly thereon due to the penetration of the teeth 3!on the jaw 30 into the cords, but by holding the finger firmly againstthe looped end of the gripper this tendency is resisted. If desired, thelever l3 may be rocked by inserting a pointed tool into the slot 4i andpressing it toward the pivot of the lever in the manner indicated bydash lines in Fig. 5.

When it becomes necessary to replace or adjust the length of the cords,or to open the clasp 4 for any other purpose, the operating lever I3 isreleased from its catch [9 and rocked to its open position illustratedin Fig. 4. To this end a pointed tool such as that illustrated in Fig. 5may be inserted through the slot 20 of the catch H] to pry the loopedend. of the gripper l4 outwardly therefrom. As the operating lever I3 isswung to open position it pivots on the pintles 21 and rocks the jaw 30from a position at rightangles to the top wall I5 of the body-member l2to a position parallel thereto whereof to release theends of the cords.The gripper [4 may then be slid outwardly on the operating lever l3 toadjust its jaw 30 away from the top wall l5 of the body-member 12 asshown in Figs. 4 and 7 to permit worn bracelet cords to be removed andnew cords substituted therefor. The new bracelet cords may then begripped in the body-member 12 by rocking the lever l3 toward its openbottom in the manner as previously explained.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present inventionprovides an improved form of relatively wide opening for receiving thecord or strap to be fastened in the clasp. It will further be observedthat the invention provides a novel construction j sembly while beingproof against and durable in use for the purposes specified.

out limiting myself in this respect,

and arrangement of elements in for economical manufacture and a claspadapted convenient asderangement "While I have herein shown anddescribed a preferred embodiment of the clasp, it is to be understoodthat various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangementof the parts of the device without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention. Therefore, with- I claim:

1. In a device of the type indicated, a bodymember for receiving the endof a bracelet or the like, a lever pivotally mounted on thebody-memadapt the gripper to be moved away from the body-member tofacilitate the application of the bracelet-end thereto, said gripperacting to clamp the bracelet-end to the body-member when the lever isrocked toward the latter.

2. In a device of the type indicated, a bodymember having a top wall,side walls and an open end and bottom, a lever pivoted to the side wallsof the body-member and adapted to overlie the open bottom thereof, agripper-element, and means for slidably mounting the gripper on thelever for movement away from the top wall 01' the top wall of thebody-member as the lever is rocked toward the latter.

3. In a device of the type indicated, a bodyrnember for receiving theend of a bracelet or the like, a lever pivotally mounted on thebody-member and having guides extendwing longitudinally thereof, a slidemounted on the lever to slide on the guides and having a gripper-jaw atone end, said slide being slidable longitudinally on the lever away fromthe body-member to facilitate the insertion of the bracelet-end into thebodymember, and said lever being rockable on the body-member to engagethe gripper jaw with the bracelet-end.

4. In a device of the type indicated, a bodymember for receiving the endof a bracelet or the like, a lever pivotally mounted on the body-memberto rock toward and away from the latter, said lever having side railsand a transverse connecting web therebetween, a slide on said leverembracing its connecting web and having a gripper-jaw at one end, saidslide being slidable on the lever away from the body-member tofacilitate the insertion of the bracelet-end into the clasp, and saidjaw being arranged to engage the bracelet-end when the lever is rockedtoward the body-member.

5. In a device of the type indicated, a bodymember having a top wall,side walls and an open bottom and end, a lever having spaced side railswith a connecting web therebetween, said side rails havinginwardly-projecting guide-flanges, and a slide having a looped portionembracing the connecting web of the lever and a gripper-jaw adjacent itsend, said jaw having guideways cooperating with the guide-flanges on theside rails of the lever to adapt the slide to be slid longitudinallythereof to facilitate the insertion of the end of a bracelet into theclasp and arranged to rock with the lever to clamp the bracelet-end inthe body-member.

ARTHUR H. LEVESQUE.

